diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f105b17..6661fe3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -284,6 +284,9 @@ $ ./example --version
 someprogram 4.3.0
 ```
 
+> **Note**
+> If a `--version` flag is defined in `args` or any subcommand, it overrides the above functionality.
+
 ### Overriding option names
 
 ```go
diff --git a/usage.go b/usage.go
index a9f9844..aa73a96 100644
--- a/usage.go
+++ b/usage.go
@@ -62,29 +62,39 @@ func (p *Parser) WriteUsageForSubcommand(w io.Writer, subcommand ...string) erro
 // writeUsageForSubcommand writes usage information for the given subcommand
 func (p *Parser) writeUsageForSubcommand(w io.Writer, cmd *command) {
 	var positionals, longOptions, shortOptions []*spec
+	var hasVersionOption bool
 	for _, spec := range cmd.specs {
 		switch {
 		case spec.positional:
 			positionals = append(positionals, spec)
 		case spec.long != "":
 			longOptions = append(longOptions, spec)
+			if spec.long == "version" {
+				hasVersionOption = true
+			}
 		case spec.short != "":
 			shortOptions = append(shortOptions, spec)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if p.version != "" {
-		fmt.Fprintln(w, p.version)
-	}
-
 	// make a list of ancestor commands so that we print with full context
+	// also determine if any ancestor has a version option spec
 	var ancestors []string
 	ancestor := cmd
 	for ancestor != nil {
+		for _, spec := range ancestor.specs {
+			if spec.long == "version" {
+				hasVersionOption = true
+			}
+		}
 		ancestors = append(ancestors, ancestor.name)
 		ancestor = ancestor.parent
 	}
 
+	if !hasVersionOption && p.version != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintln(w, p.version)
+	}
+
 	// print the beginning of the usage string
 	fmt.Fprint(w, "Usage:")
 	for i := len(ancestors) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
@@ -216,6 +226,9 @@ func (p *Parser) writeHelpForSubcommand(w io.Writer, cmd *command) {
 			positionals = append(positionals, spec)
 		case spec.long != "":
 			longOptions = append(longOptions, spec)
+			if spec.long == "version" {
+				hasVersionOption = true
+			}
 		case spec.short != "":
 			shortOptions = append(shortOptions, spec)
 		case spec.short == "" && spec.long == "":
@@ -223,6 +236,21 @@ func (p *Parser) writeHelpForSubcommand(w io.Writer, cmd *command) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// obtain a flattened list of options from all ancestors
+	// also determine if any ancestor has a version option spec
+	var globals []*spec
+	ancestor := cmd.parent
+	for ancestor != nil {
+		for _, spec := range ancestor.specs {
+			if spec.long == "version" {
+				hasVersionOption = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		globals = append(globals, ancestor.specs...)
+		ancestor = ancestor.parent
+	}
+
 	if p.description != "" {
 		fmt.Fprintln(w, p.description)
 	}
@@ -244,28 +272,14 @@ func (p *Parser) writeHelpForSubcommand(w io.Writer, cmd *command) {
 		}
 		for _, spec := range longOptions {
 			p.printOption(w, spec)
-			if spec.long == "version" {
-				hasVersionOption = true
-			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	// obtain a flattened list of options from all ancestors
-	var globals []*spec
-	ancestor := cmd.parent
-	for ancestor != nil {
-		globals = append(globals, ancestor.specs...)
-		ancestor = ancestor.parent
-	}
-
 	// write the list of global options
 	if len(globals) > 0 {
 		fmt.Fprint(w, "\nGlobal options:\n")
 		for _, spec := range globals {
 			p.printOption(w, spec)
-			if spec.long == "version" {
-				hasVersionOption = true
-			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/usage_test.go b/usage_test.go
index 1a64ad4..d67b1ef 100644
--- a/usage_test.go
+++ b/usage_test.go
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ func (versioned) Version() string {
 	return "example 3.2.1"
 }
 
-func TestUsageWithVersion(t *testing.T) {
+func TestUsageWithBuiltinVersion(t *testing.T) {
 	expectedUsage := "example 3.2.1\nUsage: example"
 
 	expectedHelp := `
@@ -260,6 +260,230 @@ Options:
 	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
 }
 
+func TestUsageWithArgsVersion(t *testing.T) {
+	var args struct {
+		Version bool `arg:"-V,--version" help:"display version and build info"`
+	}
+
+	expectedUsage := "Usage: example [--version]"
+
+	expectedHelp := `
+Usage: example [--version]
+
+Options:
+  --version, -V          display version and build info
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+`
+	os.Args[0] = "example"
+	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &args)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	var help bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	var usage bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+}
+
+func TestUsageWithBuiltinAndArgsVersion(t *testing.T) {
+	var args struct {
+		versioned
+		VersionFlag bool `arg:"-V,--version" help:"display version and build info"`
+	}
+
+	expectedUsage := "Usage: example [--version]"
+
+	expectedHelp := `
+Usage: example [--version]
+
+Options:
+  --version, -V          display version and build info
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+`
+	os.Args[0] = "example"
+	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &args)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	var help bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	var usage bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+}
+
+func TestUsageWithBuiltinVersionAndSubcommands(t *testing.T) {
+	type cmd struct {
+		Test int `arg:"-t,--test" help:"test number"`
+	}
+	var args struct {
+		versioned
+		Cmd *cmd `arg:"subcommand"`
+	}
+
+	expectedUsage := "example 3.2.1\nUsage: example <command> [<args>]"
+
+	expectedHelp := `
+example 3.2.1
+Usage: example <command> [<args>]
+
+Options:
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+  --version              display version and exit
+
+Commands:
+  cmd
+`
+	os.Args[0] = "example"
+	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &args)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	var help bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	var usage bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+
+	expectedUsage = "example 3.2.1\nUsage: example cmd [--test TEST]"
+
+	expectedHelp = `
+example 3.2.1
+Usage: example cmd [--test TEST]
+
+Options:
+  --test TEST, -t TEST   test number
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+  --version              display version and exit
+`
+	_ = p.Parse([]string{"cmd"})
+
+	help = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	usage = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+}
+
+func TestUsageWithArgsVersionAndSubcommands(t *testing.T) {
+	type cmd struct {
+		Test int `arg:"-t,--test" help:"test number"`
+	}
+	var args struct {
+		Cmd     *cmd `arg:"subcommand"`
+		Version bool `arg:"-V,--version" help:"display version and build info"`
+	}
+
+	expectedUsage := "Usage: example [--version] <command> [<args>]"
+
+	expectedHelp := `
+Usage: example [--version] <command> [<args>]
+
+Options:
+  --version, -V          display version and build info
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+
+Commands:
+  cmd
+`
+	os.Args[0] = "example"
+	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &args)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	var help bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	var usage bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+
+	expectedUsage = "Usage: example cmd [--test TEST]"
+
+	expectedHelp = `
+Usage: example cmd [--test TEST]
+
+Options:
+  --test TEST, -t TEST   test number
+
+Global options:
+  --version, -V          display version and build info
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+`
+	_ = p.Parse([]string{"cmd"})
+
+	help = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	usage = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+}
+
+func TestUsageWithBuiltinAndArgsVersionAndSubcommands(t *testing.T) {
+	type cmd struct {
+		Test int `arg:"-t,--test" help:"test number"`
+	}
+	var args struct {
+		versioned
+		Cmd     *cmd `arg:"subcommand"`
+		Version bool `arg:"-V,--version" help:"display version and build info"`
+	}
+
+	expectedUsage := "Usage: example [--version] <command> [<args>]"
+
+	expectedHelp := `
+Usage: example [--version] <command> [<args>]
+
+Options:
+  --version, -V          display version and build info
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+
+Commands:
+  cmd
+`
+	os.Args[0] = "example"
+	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &args)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	var help bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	var usage bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+
+	expectedUsage = "Usage: example cmd [--test TEST]"
+
+	expectedHelp = `
+Usage: example cmd [--test TEST]
+
+Options:
+  --test TEST, -t TEST   test number
+
+Global options:
+  --version, -V          display version and build info
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+`
+	_ = p.Parse([]string{"cmd"})
+
+	help = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	usage = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+}
+
 type described struct{}
 
 // Described returns the description for this program